Les Bowen

STAFF WRITER

Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."

Michael Vick and his attorney, Larry Woodward, met with Virginia Beach detectives today to answer questions arising from the shooting early Friday morning of one of Vick's dogfighting codefendants outside a restaurant/bar where a 30th birthday party for the Eagles quarterback had just broken up.

"The case in still being investigated. The case is currently assigned to a homicide detective. Over the last several days, numerous people have been interviewed by detectives. This afternoon, Michael Vick, along with his attorney, came to Virginia Beach Police Headquarters to speak with detectives. He answered the detectives' questions.

"The investigation into the identity of the shooter continues. No arrests have been made in the case. Police are asking anyone with information to call Virginia Beach Crime Solvers at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP."

Bernstein said in Virginia Beach, homicide detectives routinely are assigned to shooting cases, partly because there aren't all that many homicides there. Bernstein said there was no change in the department's view toward Vick's possible role in the incident; Woodward and Falcons wideout Roddy White, who attended the party, have said Vick left before the shooting of Qaunis Phillips, who over the weekend was released from the hospital after receiving treatment for a gunshot wound to his leg.

Woodward told the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot that Phillips was an uninvited guest who was thrown out of the party before the shooting. Vick and Phillips remain on probation and are not supposed to associate with convicted felons.

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Also on Monday, the Eagles claimed undrafted rookie free agent safety Brett Johnson off waivers from Buffalo. The Bills signed Johnson this spring, from Cal.

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To see our earlier post on DeSean Jackson, from his kids camp in Moorestown, click here.